The Brookhaven leader., 1887-05-26
UNKNOWN DEAD.

Dedication at HOpkinsvIiie, KY, OF th'
Beautiful Tribute To Hls Unknown Deae
Comrades ofthe Confederate Army Erect
ed by John G. Latham, of New Hork-Ihe
Monument and IT'S Inscriptions
HopKfxsvtILE. KY, May 20-The dedi
cation of the monument donated by Mr
John G. Latham, Of New York, to the
memory ofthe unknown Confederate dead
On the cemetery at Hopknsville, TOOK
place at noon yesterday. The ceremonies
were elaborate and imposing A holiday
had been declared, and every street and
alley, every business house and resi-
dence was decorated A large num-
Der Of distinguished visitors were present
from this and ad joining States. Governor
TayIor Of Tennessee and staf, the Her
mitage Club from Nashville, Governor
Knott. General s. B. Buckner, Secretary
of State Mckenzie, Auditor Hewitt, AT
torney- General Hardin, Colonel Brecken.
ridge and Collector Cox, Of Kentucky, and
many other distinguished persons were
among them.
There were fully six thousand people
around the monument when the exercises
began.
The first oration was by Hon. Jas.
Breatbitt, presenting the monument to
the CITY. Hon w. &. p. Breckenridge FOL
lowed in an eloquent tribute to the Com
fedsrate soldier, and Rev. Dr. Chas.
Deems, of New York spoke of the lesson
of the war. Mr. Latham sent the follow
ing letter from New York:
NEW YORK May H.
fbs Prestfent and HsBl5ers Of TIE B01rd Of
Council ofths CITY Of H0ptaHscilte. KY.
GENTLEMEH-I sincerely regret that. owing To
| demands on my time OF business engagements
recurring personal attention, it is impossible
fI,a, 1iFOn nf
federate monument in your cemetery. Thls
| work which undertook in tribute TO the un.
known dead is finished. What was but an ideai
purpose in my beginning, has, by your help ue
! veloped into an acknowledged fact. me ooe'
| iisks Of old are marked by strange nieroglyph-
| les that hide the motives of their CONSTRUCTION
| in mystery On the monument which you 10
dav unvail is chisled in plain type the explaua'
tion of its object and the sentiment OF its erec
| ton In its construction | have been sus
| tained by several thoughts. First OF all nave
| felt safe from the susp cion OF selnshaess' pe
| cause il was memorial to the unknown aeaG'
| Secondly. have felt perfect confidence in the
| svmpathV of all true women and brave men.
| believing that they would recognize in the
| tomb deserved tribute 10 all OF heroism that
| could die Thirdly, have reioiced in the op,
| portunity it gave me TO do honor to the memory
| of nv comrades in arms, who left their homes
| and lost their lives for conscience sake. Ana
| finally have felt that this memorial smart
| would beautify the city OF the dead. in whicb
| nv father sleeps, and that the martial spirits
| of the dead soldiers beneath it would stand
| guard about bis grave.
The letter concludes with expressions
of pleasure at being able to have this op-
| portunity, and adds:
In now formally turning over the monument
| to you as the official guardians OF the city OF
Hopkinsville. 1 beg to say that every expense
| incident to the construction has been met, ana
| to assure you that of the total cost there
| remains not one dollar unpaid. have also
| made such an Endorsement provision as Will
| Weld sufficient income TO keep the monument
and grounds in perfect order for all time to
come.
He also adds his regrets that the re-
moval of the Federal dead to the National
! cemetery at Fort Donelson prevented the
Joint dedication of the monument to their
memory.
| THE MONUMENT.
The following description of the monu-
ment will be of in terest: The base of the
structure is eight feet three inches
square supporting q pedestal of two pol
ished stones, with lntaglio border, the
upper stone projecting. On the southern